Secret of the Malpais

By

Richard Ferber

(Dell 1963)

Cover by Harry Schaare. 

Logan wanted the gold, his wife's brother wanted him gone. But the Apache just wanted Logan dead.  

Logan staggered out of the Malpais, barely alive. His brother was dead—slain by the Apache—and now they were after Logan, accusing him of violating one of their women. He’d abandoned a fortune in gold deep in that cursed land, and he intended to reclaim it.

He found refuge at his brother’s remote cabin, where Angela, his brother’s widow, still waited. When she asked about her husband, Logan gave her the truth: he was gone. Not long after, the Apache came searching for Logan. When they left empty-handed, Angela made it clear—she wanted Logan out of her life for good.

Time passed. Logan gathered a horse, two pack animals, and set his sights once more on the Malpais, determined to retrieve what he believed was rightfully his. But he wasn’t riding alone. Angela joined him, demanding her share of the gold. They weren’t the only ones chasing it. Others lurked in the shadows—greedy, violent men—and Logan soon realized he was trapped between three deadly forces: the Apache, a cold-blooded killer named Moon, and the unforgiving land itself.

This was a fast paced well written story that I enjoyed very much. At a 160 pages, I read it in one sitting, flicking through the pages at a furious pace. Not knowing how it was going to pan out and at least one great twist along the way.  

Published by Dell in 1963 it had great cover art and the book was surprisingly in good condition. I've never read anything by Richard Ferber before but if I come across one of his books again, I'll be sure to read it.